Hear from Kalyn Johnson Chandler, founder of Effie's Paper, a Black- and female-owned personalized stationery business.
The show is Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch, and it challenges contestants to pitch their company to our board of investors during a 60-second ride to the boardroom. If the investors like what they hear, the elevator doors open, and the negotiations begin. If they don't like what they hear, the elevator goes back to the ground floor, and the entrepreneurs leave empty-handed.
The show is Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch, and it challenges contestants to pitch their company to our board of investors during a 60-second ride to the boardroom. If the investors like what they hear, the elevator doors open, and the negotiations begin. If they don't like what they hear, the elevator goes back to the ground floor, and the entrepreneurs leave empty-handed.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Welcome to the elevator.
00:03Hi, I'm Kaylin Chandler.
00:05I am the CEO and founder of Eppie's Paper Stationery and Whatnot.
00:10We're online and we sell our products on end caps at Walmart, in HomeGoods, and at hundreds
00:17of boutiques around the country.
00:19I bleed maize and blue, but I'm married into the Sooner Nation.
00:22I am looking for a $100,000 investment to create stylish swag for collegiate women.
00:30Whoa, I was rooting for her to pull that out, and I think she finally did.
00:36They're in Walmart?
00:37Are we going after collegiate women?
00:39I'm so confused.
00:41All I heard was Michigan.
00:42What's that?
00:43That's all I need to hear.
00:44That's enough for you?
00:45No.
00:46That's enough for me.
00:47So much of investing is relationship-based.
00:49Do you go to your school?
00:50Maize and blue.
00:51I went to the University of Michigan.
00:53How did you miss that?
00:54I talk about it all the time.
00:55Three investors can hear the exact same pitch, and we all take it in differently based on
01:01our own personal experiences.
01:03Shall we vote?
01:04Let's do it.
01:05Attention, Kalyn.
01:17Your pitch has been denied.
01:24So is it that easy for you?
01:25You just need to throw out the old alma mater, and the checkbook comes out?
01:29Look, as I was saying, I saw a Michigan graduate.
01:34It doesn't matter whether they're doing a little bit of business or a lot of business.
01:37If you went to the University of Michigan, I'm always going to welcome you in my boardroom.
01:41What were the numbers?
01:43You were just swayed by the blue.
01:45I'm frustrated because the pitch wasn't as smooth as I wanted it to be.
01:51Not my comfort zone right now, but it will become mine.
01:54I have no doubt.